Mixer and blender



A. J. SCHAEFER 2,681,210

MIXER AND BLENDER June 15, 1954 Filed Feb. 9, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Alfred J. :5c l mefer INVENTOR.

WW 5M June 15, 1954 A. J. SCHAEFER MIXER AND BLENDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1955 rR km &N MW C 5 I. d m h A 4mm. BY gnaw -May,

June 1954 A. J. SCHAEFER 2,681,210

MIXER AND BLENDER I Fig.5

Alfred J. Sc/raefer INVENTOR.

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Patented June 15, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Glaims.

This invention relates to a tumblin type mixing vessel and more particularly to a combination mixer and blender which is designed to break up and disperse lumps or" finely ground materials.

The principle of usin balls to grind or break up materials is well known in the art. Heretobefore the purpose of the ball grinders has been to grind and pulverize material and the construction of these prior art devices enables only a small charge of material to be ground. While a relatively small charge of material in relation to the volume of the grindin balls has heretofore been necessary so that the impact of the balls would not be cushioned, the present invention features means for permitting the mixing and bleeding of a considerable quantity of material while using a relatively small volume of grinding balls. The construction of this invention features the use of an inner housin within an outer casing, the inner housing being formed from a coarse mesh screen or other openwork configuration in which the grinding balls are positioned. The charge to be ground is then disposed within the casing and the entire casing is rotated. This enables the mixer and blender to break up and disperse all lumps of the charge which would not be possible by simple and conventional tumbling. Furthermore, the present invention prevents the balls from causing a packing of the charge against the inner walls of the casing.

Still further objects and features of the invention reside in the provision of a combination mixer and blender that is strong and durable, simple in construction and operation, and which includes permitting the device to be easily char ed and the contents thereof to be easily removed, and which is capable of being constructed at a relatively low cost.

These, together with the various ancillary objects of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this combination mixer and blender, preferred embodiments of which have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section view of the form of the invention as is shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the mixer and blender shown in a position a half of a revolution after the device has been rotated from the position as is seen in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 44 in Figure 3 and showing in particular the construction 01' the inner housing together with the grinding balls contained therein;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrative of a modified form of the invention; and,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to that of Figure 5 but showing the device ina different position after rotation thereof.

With continuing reference to the accompany ing drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, and with initial attention to Figures "1 through. 4, reference numerals IE! and [2 respectively designate vertically extending members forming supports for the device. The standards it and ii are substantially trapezoidal in shape and have bases is and It of suitable si'ze'so as to distribute the weight of this combination mixer and blender over a consid rable area. Suitably supported by the support member I2 is a sup porting plate E8 on which a prime mover, preferably an electric motor, 26 is positioned. The motor as drives a shaft 22 on which a gear 24 is secured.

Journalled in the support members In and 12 are stub shafts 25 and 28. A gear is mounted on the stub shaft 28 and engages the gear 24 for transmission of the drive from the motor 20 to the stub shaft 28. The stub shafts 2t and 28 are attached to brackets or mounting plates 32 and. 34 which are secured to an outer casing 36 of suitable configuration. The casing 36 isprovided with an access cover 38 over the access opening 40 and a discharge valve '42 closes the discharge opening it in the casin 35. Secured to the inher walls of the casing are pairs of brackets 16 and i8, and 5t and 52. The brackets 46 and it carry pins as and which are secured to an end wall as of a cylindrical housing 60, the cylindrical side walls of the housing formed from a coarse wire mesh or from other openwork construction. Likewise, the brackets 50 and 52 carry pins 62 and 64 which are secured to the side walls 65 of the casing '60. A plurality of grinding balls so are contained within the casing 50.

In the operation with the device as is shown in Figure 2 the access cover 38 is removed and a charge of material to be mixed and blended is placed within the casing 36. Then, the motor 20 may be started causing rotation of the device through the position as is shown in Figure 3. This will cause the balls to move vertically and longitudinally within the housing 6i! thus grinding the charge of substance which has passed through the mesh of the side Walls of the housing an and thoroughly mix and blend such charge. Since the charge of material to be mixed and blended readily passes within the housing 60 through the openwork side walls thereof, there is no possibility of the balls 68 causing any packing of the charge.

Referring now to the form of the invention as is disclosed in Figures and 6, it will be seen that herein the vertically extending standards Hi and 72 support an outer casing 14 which is carried by brackets it and E8 secured to the stub shafts B6 and 82 journalled in bearing box 84 and 85 carried by the support members Hi and 72. A support plate 88 is carried by the standard 72 for supporting a prime motor or electric motor as which drives through shaft 92 a gear 914. Mounted on the shaft 82 is another gear 96 which engages the gear 94 so as to transmit the rotary movement of the shaft $2 to the casing 74. The casing it; is cylindrical in shape and is provided with end walls 98 and [Q0 and cylindrical side walls H32. Brackets I64 and let are secured within the casing I l and are attached to the end walls Hi8 and lid of a Wire mesh housing H2. Contained within the housing are grinding balls 1H3.

The charge is placed within the casing '54 through the gate or access closure H6 provided in the end wall it. As the axis of rotation of the casing Hi extends through the axis of the shafts 88 and 82, it is to be noted that the axis of rotation of the casing 14 is not the geometrical axis of the casing itself and is substantially ofiset therefrom. The axis of rotation of the casing 15 is also substantially offset from the geometrical axis of the housing 1 [2. Hence, upon rotation of the casing 14 the grinding balls iii will move both vertically and horizontally so as to cause an optimum mixing and blending of the charge of material inserted within the opening covered by the closure i It as is possible.

Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this combination mixer and blender are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A mixer and blender comprising an outer casing, means for rotating said outer casing about an axis of rotation, an inner housing, said housing having an openwork construction, means for securing said housing in said casing, the geometrical axis of said housing extending at an acute angle relative to said axis of rotation, and a plurality of grinding balls in said housing.

2. A mixer and blender comprising an outer casing, means for rotating said outer casing about an axis of rotation, an inner housing, said housing having a wire mesh construction, means for securing said housing in said casing, the geometrical axis of said housing extending at an acute angle relative to said axis of rotation, the geometrical axis of said casing coinciding with the geometrical axis of said housing.

3. A mixer and blender comprising an outer casing, means for rotating said outer casing about an axis of rotation, an inner housing, said housing having an openwork construction, means for securing said housing in said casing, the geometrical axis of said housing extending at an acute angle relative to said axis of rotation, said first recited means including a pair of spaced upright support members, a prime mover carried by one of said members, stub shafts carried by said members, a drive gear actuated by said prime mover, and a driven gear on one of said stub shafts engaging said driven gear, and means securing said stub shafts to said casing.

i. A mixer and blender comprising an outer casing, means for rotating said outer casing about an axis of rotation, an inner housing, said housing having an cpenwork construction, means for securing said housing in said casing, the geometrical axis of said housing extending at an acute angle relative to said axis of rotation, and a plurality of grinding balls in said housing, said first recited means including a pair of spaced upright support members, a prime mover carried by one of said members, stub shafts carried by said members, a drive gear actuated by said prime mover, and a driven gear on one of said stub shafts engaging said driven gear, and means securing said stub shafts to said casing.

5. A mixer and blender comprising an outer casing, means for rotating said outer casing about an axis of rotation, an inner housing, said housing having a wire mesh construction, means for securing said housing in said casing, the geometrical axis of said housing extending angularly relative to said axis of rotation, the geometrical axis of said casing coinciding with the geometrical axis of said housing, a plurality of grinding balls in said housing, said first recited means including a pair of spaced upright support members, a prime mover carried by one of said members, stub shafts carried by said members, a drive gear actuated by said prime mover, and a driven gear on one of said stub shafts engaging said driven gear, and means securing said stub shafts to said casing, said casing having cylindrical side walls and parallel end walls, said last recited means including brackets secured to and embracing said side wall, and said end Walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PAENTS I Number Name Date 338,673 Wowrer Mar. 23, 1886 541,141 Okrassa Jan. 9, 1900 1,019,533 Scott Mar. 5, 1912 1,424,154 Clark Aug. 1, 1922 1,627,488 Crowe May 3, 1927 

